hummalumma
09-16-2004, 08:19 AM
I just saw a movie that I thoroughly enjoyed. Based on a true story, many Tibetan monks are looking forward to the next World Cup! They also dream that one day there will a Tibetan national team. That's hot. (y)
The Cup uses the World Cup as a symbol for the potential unity of people from different countries or backgrounds. The event is one thing that the majority of the world can agree to watch together, even though the event itself is competitive. The film made me ponder all of this and more. I left the theater thinking that U.S. lack of interest in the sport suggests that the nation remains too insular, too aloof, too self-absorbed. This film might focus viewers' attention — however briefly — on the need for a greater sense of global community.
The film's closing voice-over from the Abbot says that we all need to think of others, to "love others as I love myself." This clearly expresses the film's primary theme, as it applies not only to Tibetan monks or those who similarly pursue an ascetic life. After watching these boys obsess about football and play kick the can, we might envision them listening to the Beastie Boys too, independent of the fact that the band works to bring attention to them; they are novice monks, but they are still boys. The thought of Tibetan monks trying to count the samples on Hello Nasty! is great fun to imagine, and comforting to this viewer.
http://www.popmatters.com/film/reviews/c/cup.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0201840/
The Cup uses the World Cup as a symbol for the potential unity of people from different countries or backgrounds. The event is one thing that the majority of the world can agree to watch together, even though the event itself is competitive. The film made me ponder all of this and more. I left the theater thinking that U.S. lack of interest in the sport suggests that the nation remains too insular, too aloof, too self-absorbed. This film might focus viewers' attention — however briefly — on the need for a greater sense of global community.
The film's closing voice-over from the Abbot says that we all need to think of others, to "love others as I love myself." This clearly expresses the film's primary theme, as it applies not only to Tibetan monks or those who similarly pursue an ascetic life. After watching these boys obsess about football and play kick the can, we might envision them listening to the Beastie Boys too, independent of the fact that the band works to bring attention to them; they are novice monks, but they are still boys. The thought of Tibetan monks trying to count the samples on Hello Nasty! is great fun to imagine, and comforting to this viewer.
http://www.popmatters.com/film/reviews/c/cup.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0201840/